| Date: 28 May-11 June Venue: Roland Garros, Paris |
| Scope: Live text and radio commentary of selected matches on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, the BBC Sport website and app |
Novak Djokovic’s political message about Kosovo at the French Open was “inappropriate” and “shouldn’t happen again”, said France’s sports minister.
Amelie Oudea-Castera said there should be “the principle of neutrality for the field of play”.
Serb Djokovic wrote “Kosovo is the heart of Serbia. Stop the violence” of a camera lens.
This is a reference to recent tensions in Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008.
Serbia has never recognized the independence of Kosovo and has violence in the past few days after the installation of ethnic Albanian mayors in the north of the country, along with police and Nato troops clashed with Serbian protesters.
“If you carry messages about the defense of human rights, messages that unite people around universal values, a sportsperson is free to express them,” Oudea-Castera told broadcaster France 2.
“But in this case it’s a very activist message, that’s very political. You don’t have to get involved, especially in the current circumstances, and it won’t happen again.”
Oudea-Castera said he made a distinction for messages of support for Ukraine in the face of the Russian invasion, adding that he did not put Kosovo and Ukraine “on the same level”.
That includes supporting Ukrainian player Marta Kostyuk, that people make fun of after he refused to shake hands with Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus on Sunday.
Belarus is an ally of Russia and allowed troops to use its territory to launch an invasion of Ukraine last year.
“What happened for the Ukrainians on the circuit was very painful, very difficult,” said Oudea-Castera.
“You will understand [Kostyuk’s refusal to shake hands]. Although you want to always have fair play up to and including the handshake, but there is pain and I respect it. “
Djokovic, 36, defended his message, which he wrote immediately after his first round victory over Aleksandar Kovacevic on Tuesday.
Speaking to Serbian journalists the 22-time Grand Slam singles champion, whose father was born in Kosovo, said he was “against wars, violence and any kind of conflict” but that the situation in Kosovo was an “international precedent law”.
“Especially as a son of someone born in Kosovo, I feel the need to give my support to our people and to all of Serbia,” Djokovic said.
“Kosovo is our cradle, our fortress, the center of the most important things for our country. There are many reasons why I wrote that on camera.
“Of course it is very painful for me as a Serbian to see what is happening in Kosovo and the way our people are almost being kicked out of the municipal offices, so the least I can do is this.”
Kosovo Olympic authorities have asked the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to open disciplinary proceedings against Djokovic, accusing him of stoking political tension.
“Novak Djokovic is once again promoting the propaganda of Serbian nationalists and using the platform of sport to do so,” said Ismet Krasniqi, president of Kosovo’s Olympic Committee.
On Tuesday the Tennis Federation of Kosovo said Djokovic’s actions “directly result” in increasing tensions between the two countries.
The French Tennis Federation, which organizes the French Open, says there are no rules on what players can say at Grand Slams, and that it is “understandable” that discussions about international events in news happened in the tournament.
“The same rules apply to all four Grand Slams. The tournament referee and the Grand Slam Supervisors ensure that these rules are followed,” read a statement.
“Messages have been passed on to teams of any players who are concerned about such matters.”
Djokovic’s message ‘ruffled feathers’
Guy Delauney, BBC News Balkans correspondent
“Kosovo is the heart of Serbia” may seem like a strange statement. After all, Kosovo became independent in 2008 – and its geographical location in the southwest means that, even then, it has always been on the periphery of Serbia.
But its symbolic meaning remains very important to many Serbs. The 1389 Battle of Kosovo is mythologized as an important event in the formation of Serbian identity. And many of the most important sites of the Serbian Orthodox Church are within modern-day Kosovo.
Serbia is one of many countries that refused to recognize Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence. And Serbs with family ties to Kosovo are particularly keen to ensure that Serbia’s policy of non-recognition continues.
It’s been a tumultuous month for Serbia – with shootings and many protests – and ethnic-Serbs in Kosovo. By writing his message courtside, the country’s sporting icon showed his support – but in a way that was bound by feathers.
With his marker pen scribble, Djokovic neatly describes the enduring complexity of the situation.
